Use Digital Unix to control FieldPoint modules accross Ethernet.

[Brian Chase]

I'd like our Digital Unix computer to control a number of FieldPoint modules accross ethernet.

Has anyone written an OPC Client for Digital Unix? I found an 'ActiveX' package for Digital Unix, would this be useful or would it be just as easy to write my own package from scratch?

[Green_Rives]

At National Instruments, we presently do not have an OPC Client for Digital Unix. Since OPC architecture is somewhat complex, you may want to try the ActiveX package before considering writing your own package from scratch.

[Brian Chase]

Thanks for the reply! Do you know how much work it would take to get an ActiveX client to talk to an OPC device (such as FieldPoint)? I need to be able to transfer blocks of data and send a few simple commands. Is OPC just an implementation of ActiveX?

Thanks again for your help.

[Green_Rives]

Well, FieldPoint is not really an "OPC device" When you install our software on a Windows computer, an OPC Server that communicates to FieldPoint is installed on that computer. This allows OPC Clients on that computer to talk with FieldPoint. OPC is not an implementation of ActiveX, it is a version of OLE.

Instead of using OPC, you can talk to FieldPoint modules in Digital Unix by creating a TCP/IP Server on a FP-2000 using LabVIEW RT and then create a TCP/IP Client on your Unix machine. This is probably the easiest way of communicating to FieldPoint without any FieldPoint software installed on your computer.